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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. present — a gift
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — happening now
  11. stock — shares
  12. charge — electricity
  13. present — there
  14. row — a line
  15. mate — a partner
  16. hand — help
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. current — electric
  19. present — the time now
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mate — a friend
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com